Wednesday, December 26, 2018

December 25, 2018 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: The Christmas Story “CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS ANSWERED!”


CHRISTMAS DAY

December 25, 2018

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: The Christmas Story



“CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS ANSWERED!”

1.     What Child is this?

2.     Why lies He in such mean estate?

3.     What do I do now?



If I asked you what your favorite Christmas Carol is I’m guessing you will have a hard time coming up with just one. There are so many good ones. Some have great memories attached to them like Silent Night. Some are just so joyful. Some of the melodies just seem to perk you up and get you in the Christmas spirit. Many of them tell stories and at least one answers questions. It’s the one we just sang. “What Child is this?” We’ll let that carol guide our Christmas Day meditation because it provides answers to important questions of Christmas and it’s no magic eight ball. It draws its answers from Scripture.

The first verse asks an important Christmas question. What child is this? Careful when you look at him. Looks can be deceiving. Looks were meant to be deceiving at Christmas when I was growing up. With eight kids in the family we did not have the practice of every brother and sister getting a present for everyone else. No, we drew names. Then you had to figure out what the name you drew needed. Then came the really fun part. Trying to disguise your present. You see another tradition we had was trying to guess what the present was before you opened it. One year I thought I had it nailed. My brothers and I had gotten into playing hockey on the ice rink that was cleared above the first dam on the Rock River going into Watertown. Boots marked the boundaries. Boots marked the goal. Just a note to any would be hockey players, playing goalie without any pads is not a good idea. Those pucks hurt! We had good early ice one year so had been playing a lot and the blade on my stick broke. Money was tight. Duct tape was the only solution. And then came Christmas. And there it was. A present. To Tim From Joel. Wrapped up was a long tube with a card box taped on the end covering what could only be a hockey stick. I should’ve remembered who I was dealing with. As I proudly made my correct guess before I opened the smirk alerted me to a potentially fatal mistake. The tube empty. The box contained a cartoon book. Looks were deceiving.

Look again in the manger. What do you see? What child is this? He looks like any average Jewish baby boy. But remember, looks can be deceiving so look again. Our carol answered the question. What child is this? This, this is Christ the King. In Matthew’s account of the Christmas story he reminded us who the child is when he wrote, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel which means, God with us.” That baby is God himself in human flesh. What Child is This? This is Christ the King. It is really impossible to comprehend the one who is helpless as a human is the omnipotent God. The one who seems to have only now appeared on the scene has always been before the Creation of the world. The one who needs Mary and Joseph to care for him at the same time needs nothing and is absolutely independent as the great I AM. Can you imagine how difficult this was for Mary and Joseph? Joseph watched Jesus be born. Mary birthed Him. He looked just like any other human being and did all the things that babies normally do. But God had provided them what they needed in the visits from the angels to know what child this was. God has done the same thing for us. Through word and sacrament he has provided us with faith to see that the Christmas miracle is not a Grinch getting a new heart or people being kind for part of a day. It’s God becoming flesh and that we believe this. What child is this? This, this is Christ the King!

Why? Why does this happen? Or as our carol asks, “Why lies he in such mean estate?” Mean can mean a lot of things. As a verb it can mean to signify or stand for. As a noun it’s the middle of something. As an adjective we normally use mean to describe someone who is nasty and is doing or saying hurtful things. But its first meaning as an adjective is humble or lowly. Why is Christ the King, true God and true man, lying in such humble circumstances? Again Matthew tells us in his Gospel. The angel told Joseph, “She will give birth to a Son and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” He lies in such a mean estate because He is our Savior. I like to remind the Confirmation students that there is a word that begins with S that applies to Jesus that helps us keep straight the why of Christmas and Good Friday and Easter. Do you know what it is? A word that begins with S to help us answer Why? Yes, Savior is a good one but there is a better one. Substitute. Jesus comes to be our substitute. He takes our place. He takes our place in perfect obedience. That’s why he becomes truly one of us and lives for 33 years. He must face temptation, fight temptation and defeat temptation in our place. That’s why He goes to the cross. He takes our place in being punished for sin. That’s why at the first Christmas He lies in such mean estate. As the carol goes “For sinners here the Silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce him through. The cross he bears for me, for you.” Jesus lies in humble circumstance so that He can be a legitimate substitute not for the few and the privileged but for me, for you and for all.

So now what? What do we do with this Christmas gift of Jesus? If what looked like a hockey stick had been a hockey stick I would’ve know what to do with it. Pass and score goals, play defense. Since it was instead a cartoon book  I knew what to do with it, read it and laugh. What do we do with the gift of Jesus? Our carol answers that Christmas question too. I could summarize it with three words: honor, own, enthrone. Let’s start with honor. “So bring him incense, gold and myrrh.” The Christmas purists know that the wise men from the east did not arrive the same time as the shepherds. A bummer for all the nativity sets, but true. Those wise men did come later and when they came they honored Jesus with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Costly gifts back then and today. But the real gift wasn’t their earthly value but what the gift signified. Honor. Honor for Jesus by those who through faith looked past what Jesus looked like, a baby, and saw Him for what He is. The King of kings. As God, Jesus had no need for gold, frankincense or myrrh. He could create as much as he wanted at any time. True enough we know that it helped Mary and Joseph, probably especially when they had to flee to Egypt. But what was most important was the honor that was shown. That’s also true for us. Our offerings to Jesus are very important. Yes, they are important for our congregation so that we continue to exist, pay our bills and expand our ministry. But what is most important is they give us a chance to show honor to Jesus who does not need anything from us but wants our hearts. That’s why we are not cheap with our offerings, giving him our leftovers or something we don’t even miss, There is no honor in being a member of the Scrooges for Jesus Club. But there is when our gifts come from the heart.

Because we own him. That’s the second way our carol answers the question so what do I do now. “Come peasant king to own him.” When you own up to your mistakes you admit they are yours. You did it. They belong to you. Owning Jesus means confessing Him as Savior. Your Savior. Getting a little harder to do that these days in the real world isn’t it? Less and less tolerance for Christians who want to hold to and teaching everything Jesus has commanded us. No worries. Peasant. King. Grandma. Newborn. Jesus has chosen us for Himself and promised that whoever confesses Him before others, He too confesses and owns before the Father in heaven.

So we honor, own and enthrone. “Let loving hearts enthrone Him.” Now the post Christmas ads will begin, the end of year ones. Watch how many try to tug at your heart to get that perfect gift she will love or he has dreamed about as a boy. Normally something big and expense. The new car or huge diamond. They are on to something. Love seeks to give what makes another happy. What makes Jesus happy? Hearts that enthrone Him. That means treat Him as king and ruler. Jesus put it this way. If you love me, obey my commandments and so we learn that willing obedience is the most meaningful gift for Jesus. We desire Him to rule in our hearts. And he does through love, grace and mercy.

Pretty soon now the Christmas carols will go away. The stations that changed their format way before Thanksgiving will go back. We will choose new playlists on Pandora or Spotify. But the meaning of Christmas will continue its effects on our lives. For the child lying in mean estate is Christ the King, for sinners slain who in response lovingly honor, own and enthrone Him. Amen.

Monday, December 17, 2018

Pastor Timothy J Spaude Text: Luke 3:7-18 “THE GIFT OF JOY”


ADVENT 3

December 15-17, 2018

Pastor Timothy J Spaude

Text: Luke 3:7-18



“THE GIFT OF JOY”

1.     There is no joy in fake repentance.

2.     The joy of Jesus is in true repentance.



Luke 3:7-18 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.  14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay."15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.”



          So what emotion do you normally connect with repentance? I’m going to guess that most, if not all of us will choose sorrow. In fact many times people think that’s all repentance is, being sorry for your sins. But repentance is a whole lot more than being sorry for sins. In fact John the Baptist is going to help us understand that ultimately repentance brings with it the gift of joy. As we continue to look at the gifts Jesus brings this Advent season today we focus on the gift of joy that comes with repentance.

          With true repentance, that is. As we find out in Luke’s Gospel there has always been this idea of fake repentance spooking around. Today’s text is a continuation of last week’s. If you recall in that part of Luke 3 we heard that John the Baptist was doing the work he was chosen for, preparing people’s hearts for Jesus. He did that be preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Today we listen in on one of his sermons. He begins, “You brood of vipers!” Now I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that this is never going to make a top ten list of sermon greetings. In fact I know that at our seminary the professors remind you it is a privilege to speak to the children of God so you address them that way. You’ve heard, “Dear fellow redeemed, brothers and sisters through faith in Christ Jesus, Sons and daughters of the King, dear Christian friends.” Have we ever started out “You brood of vipers” or “dear back stabbing and two faced liars and cheats, dear stingy greedy selfish spoiled brats?”

          Something was going on here. Let’s find out what. John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Jesus also called the Pharisees and Sadducees a brood of vipers. They were the ones who were teaching that outward keeping of God’s laws was good enough and that a blood connection to Abraham made things right with God. Or to put it another way they taught repentance as saying sorry, not being sorry, and it seems the crowds had listened to them and were thinking the same thing. They had no intention of trying to change their sinful ways. They were offspring of Abraham. They said what they were required to say. That should be good enough. That’s fake repentance. It does not give joy. It gets you called what you are: vipers, mini devils.

          This idea of fake repentance hasn’t gone away. In times of weakness and temptation Satan whispers in our ears, “It’s OK. Give in. You’ll be forgiven anyway.” And so we repent with the intent to keep on sinning. Or in talks with someone who has devalued word and sacrament and worship. “I’m good with God. I pray all the time.” Or “I’m good. I was confirmed.” Or “I’m still WELS.” Hear a warning about fake repentance. The ax is at the root of the tree. God can raise WELSers and people who pray once in a while from the stones if he wants. This fake repentance is like drinking saltwater. Sure it’s wet but it will leave you still thirsty and ultimately leads to eternal death. This fake repentance is like the sassy mouthed child, the lazy worker, the cheating spouse saying, “Yes, I’m very sorry. I’ll stop in a year or so.” John’s word point out a spiritual truth we can’t ignore. You can’t have it both ways. Just like you can’t eat only junk food and stay healthy and you can’t not practice and still be good at piano, you can’t pursue the temporary joy of sin and have the lasting joy of salvation.

          That only comes with true repentance. These people coming out to John had received the gift of Baptism. They had been pointed to Jesus. “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.” John pointed them to Jesus, the Savior. Yes he would destroy the chaff but the wheat he was going to gather. These people now realized they were the wheat. They were forgiven by Jesus. They now knew that real repentance isn’t just sorrow over sin, it’s joy in Jesus. Relief, happiness and gratitude in sins forgiven. And that inner change, that repentance joy on the inside, it just wants to show on the outside.

Notice the change. No longer did they want fake repentance as a part of their lives and so they ask, "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.  14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay." Kind of reminds me of Zacchaeus. Do your remember how when he realized Jesus loved him, had forgiven him and accepted him, he on his own, offered to pay back 4 times what he had stolen and to give half of his possessions to the poor. Here the regular people wanted to know how to show they joy of repentance. Soldiers and tax collectors too. None were given monumental tasks or a prayer to repeat over and over again. Do your job. Be faithful in your responsibilities. Help those in need. Realize that God desires fair tax collectors and soldiers who protect. Every aspect of their life would change as they lived each task with the joy of living for Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, you have that too. Jesus brings you the gift of joy. In that joy of Jesus you can get rid of sins instead of keeping them around. Just like you would not take a knife that was used to kill a loved one and use it to carve your Christmas ham but would instead get rid of it, never want to see it again, so also hat same attitude toward the sins in our lives that caused the death of Jesus, our loved on. We strive with all the strength Christ provides to fight our selfishness with money, our temptation toward lust or drug or alcohol abuse. Maybe we have some things in our house or bank accounts we need to get rid of. We look instead to see the face of Jesus on every one we meet each day so that for Jesus we are nice, kind and compassionate. We see our daily jobs in a different light. Each role a way we can serve Jesus with joy. He desires simply to see faithfulness in our daily callings, each one lived for Him. By calling us to repentance teaching us repentance and by His sacrifice motivating our repentance Jesus has given us the gift of joy to be enjoyed and displayed every day..

So you weren’t wrong if at the beginning of my message you associated sorrow with repentance. You just weren’t totally right. While sorrow over sin starts it off in true repentance joy over Jesus’ forgiveness, love and acceptance finishes it. Marvel again, brothers and sisters that God gave His Son Jesus because how much He values you. Instead of letting us live and die as the vipers we would be, instead of cutting down unfruitful trees like you and me and throwing us in the fire, God cut down Jesus, and let Him go the cross where He endured the fires of Hell so you will never have to. Relief, thankfulness, joy. A gift to you from Jesus. Amen.